1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a telescopic covering device for machine tools, and more particularly to a telescopic covering device including a movable or telescopic linking device for coupling the smallest cover member to the saddle or machine base or carrier of the machine tools, and for allowing the smallest cover member to be slid or adjusted or moved relative to the saddle or machine base or carrier of the machine tools.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Typical machine tools comprise a table slidably disposed or supported on a carrier, and the carrier is then further slidably disposed or supported on a saddle or machine base of the machine tools with one or more further carriers for allowing the table to be slid or adjusted or moved relative to the saddle or the machine base or the carriers of the machine tools.
While working with the machine tools or when the work pieces are cut or drilled or machined by the machine tools, cut chips or particles or contaminants will be generated and dropped into the space between the table and the carriers and the saddle or the machine base or the carriers of the machine tools and may interfere or damage the sliding engagements between the table and the carriers and the saddle or the machine base or the carriers of the machine tools.
For suitably shielding or covering the sliding engagements between the table and the carriers and the saddle or the machine base or the carriers of the machine tools, one or more telescopic covering devices are provided and disposed or coupled between the table and the carriers and the saddle or the machine base or the carriers of the machine tools and provided for collecting the cut chips or particles or contaminants and for preventing the cut chips or particles or contaminants from entering into the space between the table and the carriers and the saddle or the machine base or the carriers of the machine tools.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,578,061 to Hsscheck discloses one of the typical covering devices for protecting the guiding paths of machine tools and comprising a number of box-shaped members telescopically movable into and out of each other and coupled together with a coupling device which may couple the respective adjacent box-shaped members to each other in response to the sliding movement between the box-shaped members.
Normally, one end of the typical covering device is attached or secured to the table, and the other end or the smallest cover or box-shaped member fixed or secured to the saddle or the machine base or the carriers of the machine tools. However, in some of the machine tools, the smallest cover or box-shaped member may be required to be moved or adjusted relative to the saddle or the machine base or the carriers of the machine tools, and the typical covering device thus may not be used to suitably cover or shield or protect the saddle or the machine base or the carriers of the machine tools.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,169,223 to Suzuki et al. discloses another typical telescopic cover apparatus also comprising a number of cover members telescopically movable into and out of each other and coupled together with a coupling or linking device. However, similarly the smallest cover member is solidly secured to the stationary saddle of the machine tools such that the typical telescopic cover apparatus also may not be used to suitably cover or shield or protect the saddle or the machine base or the carriers of some of the machine tools.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,807,043 to Blank discloses a further typical interlocking machine tool way cover also comprising a number of cover members or individual segments telescopically movable into and out of each other and coupled together with a coupling or linking device. However, the smallest cover member or segment may be extended out of the screw conveyor and the actual way surface of the machine tools such that the typical interlocking machine tool way cover also may not be used to suitably cover or shield or protect the saddle or the machine base or the carriers of some of the machine tools.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional telescopic covering devices for the machine tools.